Study: Extend Ottawa O-Train, boost LRT use

An interagency report released Tuesday recommends Ottawa's existing O-Train diesel light rail transit (DLRT) service be extended across the Ottawa River "to better integrate transit between the downtown cores of Ottawa and Gatineau."

The Ottawa River serves as the Quebec-Ontario provincial border; Gatineau lies north of the Canadian capital.

An O-Train extension also is seen as key to maximizing the O-Train and Ottawa's C$2.13 billion (electric) light rail transit project, forming a "mobility hub" that would also include bus and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services.

Phase 1 construction on the Confederation Line LRT route is set to begin this year, with revenue service targeted to begin in 2018. Alstom will supply 34 Citadis Spirit light rail vehicles to serve the initial 7.75-mile line.

The study was produced by a joint venture including AECOM, Ottawa-based PACE (Public Affairs & Community Engagement), and Mississauga, Ont.-based McCormick Rankin Corp.